Who Is Luka Škrinjarić? The Sports Psychologist Behind Croatia's Top Athletes

For more than 15 years, some of Croatia's most recognized athletes have relied on one person to sharpen the part of their game that no physical trainer can reach. Luka Škrinjarić, founder of Mentalni Trening (mentalnitrening.com), is a licensed sports psychologist who has worked with professional footballers, NBA-level basketball players, world champion boxers, and top-tier esports competitors — building a practice that bridges traditional sport and digital competition at the highest level.

A Career Built on Elite-Level Work

Luka Škrinjarić holds a master's degree in psychology from the University of Zagreb and is a member of the sports psychology division of the Croatian Psychological Chamber. He currently serves as vice president of the sports psychology section within the Croatian Psychological Society and lectures on specialist programs training the next generation of sports psychologists in Croatia.

What sets Škrinjarić apart from many practitioners in the field is the caliber of athletes he works with. His client roster includes Croatian national team footballer Ante Budimir — a collaboration spanning over 14 years — as well as Dion Drena Beljo (GNK Dinamo Zagreb), Borna Barišić (formerly Rangers FC), basketball players Roko Leni Ukić and Ante Žižić (who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA), and three-time boxing world champion Ivana Habazin.

From Zagreb to the Global Esports Stage

In 2019, Škrinjarić expanded his practice into professional esports. Since 2023, he has served as Performance Coach for the core CS2 roster of G2 Esports, one of the world's most prominent esports organizations. Prior to G2, he worked with teams including NAVI, FPX, Cr4zy, and EXTREMUM.

According to Škrinjarić, the psychological demands in esports mirror those in traditional sport more closely than most people assume. "The mechanisms are the same — pressure, burnout, emotional control, team dynamics. The context is different, but the mind doesn't distinguish between a penalty kick and a clutch round," he has noted in interviews.

A Methodology Rooted in Science, Not Motivational Speeches

Škrinjarić's approach combines cognitive behavioral techniques (CBT), visualization, biofeedback, and neurofeedback into individualized programs tailored to each athlete's needs. His foundational principle — one that has defined Mentalni Trening since its founding in 2014 — is that mental preparation is not crisis intervention.

"Mental training is not something you do when things go wrong. It is a continuous process of building mental strength, as fundamental as physical conditioning or tactical preparation," Škrinjarić explains. This proactive model treats mental training as a skill to be developed over time, not a fix to be applied under pressure.

The Team Behind Mentalni Trening

Mentalni Trening, based in Zagreb, operates as a three-person team of licensed sports psychologists. Alongside Škrinjarić, the practice includes Sanja Vrančić and Dora Dragičević, both licensed sports psychologists. This structure allows the team to work with multiple athletes and teams simultaneously while maintaining the individualized approach that defines their methodology.

The practice offers programs for elite athletes, youth athletes, esports players, coaches, and — through its MT Praktikum — for psychologists seeking specialization in sports psychology.

Luka Škrinjarić is the founder of Mentalni Trening (mentalnitrening.com), a licensed sports psychologist, and vice president of the sports psychology section of the Croatian Psychological Society. He has over 15 years of experience working with professional athletes across football, basketball, boxing, tennis, handball, and esports.